Electrochemical fabrication process including process monitoring, making corrective action decisions, and taking appropriate actions

Abstract

Electrochemical fabrication processes and apparatus for producing multi-layer structures include operations or means for providing enhanced monitoring of build operations or detection of the results of build operations, operations or means for build problem recognition, operations or means for evaluation of corrective action options, operations or means for making corrective action decisions, and operations or means for executing actions based on those decisions.

1 . An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising: 
 (A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto the substrate, wherein the substrate may comprise previously deposited material;    (B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;    wherein at least a plurality of the selective depositing operations comprise: 
 (1) adhering a mask to or locating a preformed mask in contact with or in proximity to a substrate;  
 (2) in presence of a plating solution, conducting an electric current between an anode and the substrate through the at least one opening in the mask, such that a selected deposition material is deposited onto the substrate to form at least a portion of a layer; and  
 (3) removing the mask from the substrate;  
   wherein during one or more layer formation processes or after one or more layer formation processes at least one inspection occurs that is capable of identifying a plurality of process failures and wherein at least one of any failures is correlated to a potential corrective action and at least one corrective action is taken to allow successful fabrication of the structure to continue.    
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of layers comprise at least one structural material and at least one sacrificial material.  
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein, based at least in part on the identified failure, a conclusion is reached that the deposition for a given layer is not acceptable, wherein the process additionally comprises: 
 (A) removing at least a portion of the material deposited in association with the given layer; and    (B) repeating the deposition for at least a portion of the given layer.    
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the conclusion is, at least in part based on a visual inspection of the resulting deposit for the given layer.  
   
   
       5 . An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising: 
 (A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto the substrate, wherein the substrate may comprise previously deposited material;    (B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;    wherein at least a plurality of the selective depositing operations comprise: 
 (1) adhering a mask to or locating a preformed mask in contact with or in proximity to a substrate;  
 (2) in presence of a plating solution, conducting an electric current between an anode and the substrate through the at least one opening in the mask, such that a selected deposition material is deposited onto the substrate to form at least a portion of a layer; and  
 (3) removing the mask from the substrate;  
   wherein during, or after, formation of a given layer, the layer is inspected or formation parameters are compared to anticipated parameter values such that a determination concerning the existence of a plurality of potential build problems is made wherein if it is determined that the layer was not formed correctly, at least a portion of material deposited in association with the layer is removed and replacement material is deposited.    
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of layers comprise at least one structural material and at least one sacrificial material.  
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the inspection comprises monitoring an electrical characteristic of a selective deposition operation.  
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the electrical characteristic comprises a voltage between the anode and the cathode during conduction of the electric current.  
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the monitoring occurs during formation of substantially all layers of the plurality.  
   
   
       10 . The process of claims  8  wherein a monitored voltage for each layer comprises a measurement of a voltage profile over deposition time for each layer.  
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 10  wherein at least two points of the measured voltage profile for a given layer are used in making a comparison to an anticipated voltage profile, and based at least in part on the result of the comparison, a conclusion is reached as to whether or not the deposition was acceptable.  
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the formation of each of a number of layers comprise at least one blanket deposition as well as the selective deposition wherein for a given layer the selectively deposited material is different from a material deposited by blanket deposition.  
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of selective depositions comprise the deposition of a plurality of different materials.  
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 5  wherein at least a portion of one layer is formed by a non-electroplating deposition process.  
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 5  wherein a plurality of depositions occur during the formation of each of a number of layers wherein at least one of the depositions on each of the number of layers deposits copper and at least one of the other depositions on the number of layers deposits nickel.  
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the selective depositing for each of a number of layers comprises at least two selective depositions.  
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 5  wherein a number of the plurality of layers are each formed by depositing at least one structural material using at least one deposition and by depositing at least one sacrificial material by using at least one other deposition.  
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 14  wherein at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial material is removed after formation of a plurality of layers to reveal a three-dimensional structure comprised of at least one structural material.  
   
   
       19 . A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising: 
 (a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate, wherein the substrate may include previously formed layers;    (b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers;    wherein the formation of each of at least a plurality of layers, comprises: 
 (1) obtaining a selective pattern of deposition of a first material having voids, comprising at least one of: 
 (a) selectively depositing a first material onto the substrate such that at least one void remains, wherein the depositing comprises: 
 (i) adhering a mask and a surface of the substrate together or bringing a preformed mask into contact with or in proximity to the substrate in preparation for depositing a first material;  
 (ii) depositing the first material onto the substrate with the mask in place;  
 (iii) separating the mask and the substrate to expose the at least one void; or  
 
 (b) depositing a first material onto the substrate and selectively etching the deposit of the first material to form voids therein, wherein the etching comprises: 
 (i) adhering a mask and a surface of the deposited first material together or bring a preformed mask into contact with or in proximity to the substrate;  
 (ii) etching, with the mask in place, into the first material to form at least one void;  
 (iii) separating the mask and the substrate; and  
 
 
 (2) depositing a second material into the at least one void, and  
   wherein during, or after, formation of a given layer, the layer is inspected, or formation parameters are compared to anticipated parameter values, such that if it is determined that the layer was not formed correctly, at least a portion of material deposited in association with the layer is removed and replacement material is deposited.    
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 19  wherein at least one of the first or second deposited materials undergoes a planarization operation at least once during the formation of each of a plurality of layers.  
   
   
       21 . The process of  claim 19  wherein the layer inspection uncovers at least one of the problems set forth in  FIG. 9A .  
   
   
       22 . The process of  claim 19  wherein the removal of at least a portion of the material deposited in association with the layer is removed and replacement material is deposited comprises at least one of the actions set forth in  FIG. 9B .  
   
   
       23 . An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising: 
 (A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto the substrate, wherein the substrate may comprise previously deposited material;    (B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;    wherein at least a plurality of the selective depositing operations comprise: 
 (1) adhering a mask to or locating a preformed mask in contact with or in proximity to a substrate;  
 (2) depositing onto the substrate a desired material to form at least a portion of a layer; and  
 (3) removing the mask from the substrate;  
   wherein during one or more layer formation processes or after one or more layer formation processes at least one inspection occurs, or formation parameters are compared to anticipated parameter values, that is capable of identifying a plurality of process failures and wherein at least one of any failures is correlated to a potential corrective action and at least one corrective action is taken to allow successful fabrication of the structure to continue.    
   
   
       24 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the desired material undergoes a planarization operation at least once during the formation of each of a plurality of layers.  
   
   
       25 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the inspection or comparison uncovers at least one of the problems set forth in  FIG. 9A .  
   
   
       26 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the corrective action comprises at least one of the corrective actions set forth in  FIG. 9B .  
   
   
       27 . An electrochemical fabrication process for producing a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, the process comprising: 
 (A) selectively depositing at least a portion of a layer onto the substrate, wherein the substrate may comprise previously deposited material;    (B) forming a plurality of layers such that successive layers are formed adjacent to and adhered to previously deposited layers, wherein said forming comprises repeating operation (A) a plurality of times;    wherein at least a plurality of the selective depositing operations comprise: 
 (1) adhering a mask to or locating a preformed mask in contact with or in proximity to a substrate;  
 (2) depositing onto the substrate a desired material to form at least a portion of a layer; and  
 (3) removing the mask from the substrate;  
   wherein during, or after, formation of a given layer, the layer is inspected or formation parameters are compared to anticipated parameter values such that a determination concerning the existence of a plurality of potential build problems is made wherein if it is determined that the layer was not formed correctly, at least a portion of material deposited in association with the layer is removed and replacement material is deposited.    
   
   
       28 . The process of  claim 27  wherein the desired material undergoes a planarization operation at least once during the formation of each of a plurality of layers.  
   
   
       29 . The process of  claim 27  wherein the inspection or comparison uncovers at least one of the problems set forth in  FIG. 9A .  
   
   
       30 . The process of  claim 27  wherein the removal and replacement of material comprises at least one of the corrective actions set forth in  FIG. 9B .